Australia lost the Third Test against Sri Lanka to complete not just a 0-3 whitewash, but also a whitewash of whitewashes in their most recent overseas Test series against India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Here are the ratings from the Third Test.
Peter Falk
Grade: A
The detective television show Columbo used to start each episode with the villain of the episode committing a murder so devious in nature that it seemed impossible that they would ever be brought to justice for their criminal actions.
Then Detective Columbo, played by the late great Peter Falk, would stride onto the scene and almost immediately deduce the identity of the perpetrator. He’d then proceed to chip away, bit by bit, at the miscreant’s confidence that they’d got away with their misdeeds until finally, after a series of Columbo’s trademark ‘just one more thing’s, they’d eventually be apprehended.
This is exactly what happened on the first day at Colombo. Mitchell Starc (with the assistance of Nathan Lyon), slaughtered the Sri Lankan top order, reducing the home side to 5/26 shortly after drinks in the first session. But despite the Australian’s confidence that they’d got away with this brutal attack, Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal then ‘one more thing’ed their way to a partnership of 211, until Australia were forced to cry ‘enough’.
Pigheadedness
Grade: B
With Colombo justice done, Sri Lanka ended with 355 on the board for their first innings. The Australians went out to bat, having borne witness to a masterclass of patient, methodical, epic Test match batting from the Sri Lankan sixth wicket.
Their response? No, thank you, not for us.
In a way, you kind of have to respect such gallant pigheadedness. They have their method, and they’re going to stick to it, regardless of whether or not it actually works.
As an example, David Warner began the Australian reply by hitting the very first ball of the innings for six. That one stroke equalled the highest opening partnership of the series to that point. Yes, he was out for eleven shortly thereafter, but he’d made it off only nine balls.
In your face, Chandimal with your 132 off 356 balls. Take that, de Silva, with your 129 off 280 balls.
Shaun Marsh
Grade: B+
The people’s hero, Shaun Marsh, had been recalled to the side. Again. And with Warner gone, Marsh combined with captain Steve Smith for Australia’s best partnership of the series, with both batsmen bringing up centuries. Marsh made 130 from 281 deliveries, with Smith tallying 119 from 218.
In the course of their 246-run partnership, Smith brought up 100,000 Test fidgets from a mere 4,000 Test runs. Easily the fastest Australian to reach that fidget mark.
And Marsh brought up his century in front of his nine-week old son, Austin, who was there as part of a very small touring group led by Marsh’s wife, Bec. So that’s kind of sweet. As, indeed, was Mitch Marsh bringing up his half-century a little later in front of his nine-week old nephew and sister-in-law.
But, ultimately, Shaun Marsh’s century mostly caused frustration among Australian fans. Why hadn’t he produced these kinds of runs in the first two Tests? Reason enough to drop him again? I say yes.
After all, it’s surely time for the Test side to find a spot for Austin Marsh.
Peter Nevill’s Stumping
Grade: F
Rangana Herath had retired hurt at the end of Sri Lanka’s first innings, after being hit in the box by Josh Hazlewood. Never good to see. I don’t like players retiring hurt after being hit in the box. Unless they’re former players and the box in question is the commentary box.
But Herath eventually returned to bowl, and took six wickets to ensure Australia’s first innings lead was only 24.
The Sri Lankans swiftly wiped off the deficit and once again methodically went about batting their way to an impossible target for the Australians to chase on the final day. The only real excitement in the Sri Lankan second innings (apart from an inevitable Sri Lankan ton, this time by Kaushal Silva, who continued his record of being incapable of making double figure scores this series), was the moment when Peter Nevill violated the sport’s number one poltergeist, the Spirit of Cricket, by stumping Dimuth Karunaratne off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.
It was unclear what, exactly, was wrong with stumping. As is so often the way with Spirit of Cricket intangibles. Presumably, Karunaratne had raised his foot instinctively but not wilfully.
I still maintain that this problem can only be resolved by the ICC implementing digital creases that automatically move with the batsman in line with Spirit of Cricket regulations. Only then will players truly know whether stumpings and Mankads are allowed to be made. Fixed creases are so twentieth century.
Wake up, ICC!
Time Wasting
Grade: C
On the final day, with only two Sri Lankan wickets remaining, Australia – the self-pronounced flag-bearers of positive cricket – bowled only four overs in the first hour of play.
Field changes, shoe changes, singing David Bowie’s Changes. Australia tried it all in a bid to waste as much time as possible. At one point, Moises Henriques was overcome by the vapours and required on-field treatment.
The time-wasting didn’t work, of course. Angelo Mathews eventually got fed up with the Australians, declared, and instructed Herath to bowl them out for 160 in a session and a bit to take the series 3-0.
As a result of this defeat to Sri Lanka, Australia officially lose their number one Test ranking, which, obviously, allows India and Pakistan to face off for top spot via a final Test in the West Indies.
Never change, cricket.
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